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Descriptions

The purposes of this study were to (1) identify major problems
faced by the youth who, in transition from school to work, have resorted
to anti-social behavior and are now inmates of Deuel Vocational
Institution, (2) identify the behavioral patterns of youth having employment
problems that resulted in incarceration within our penal system,
(3) identify a profile of students leaving school who have resorted to
anti-social behavior, as indicated by their incarceration within Deuel
Vocational Institution, and (4) identify changes in the existing educational
programs to aid youth in their transition from school to work.
Procedures
Thirty-five randomly selected inmates between the ages of 18
and 30 were in the sample for the case studies. Each inmate was
interviewed using a directed interview instrument and allowed to
express his own opinions regarding school and work. The inmate
record jackets were searched to verify the data given in the interview,
also for probable causes of anti-social behavior, employment
history, family background and educational status.
Findings
The first part identified drugs as the most common link to antisocial
behavior. In every case involving a youth indulging in the use
of reds and alcohol, the crime was of the following nature: the
smashing of a man's head with a concrete water meter cover; the
apparently motiveless shooting of a man walking on a beach; the
clubbing of a woman because she called me a son of a bitch.
In each case involving a youth using heroin, the anti-social
behavior was related to the procurement of the money necessary to
support a habit costing up to one hundred fifty dollars per day. The
heroin addict is a thief, a robber or a drug dealer. The drug user
seemed to feel he could not support his habit through regular employment
or have the time needed to use the drugs. There were no cases
of drug addicts gainfully employed.
Every case investigated showed the inmate to be predominantly
self-centered, There were no cases in which the inmate, either in
his own statement about the crime or at any time during incarceration,
stated that he felt concern for the victim or the relatives of the victim,
A major portion of the inmates' records indicated antisocia1.
behavior at an early age: the youngest was arrested at the age of
nine and 90 percent were arrested before the age of 16. Most cases
included two arrests before the inmate had left school.
Thirty seven percent of the youth were involved in organized
gangs. The gangs protected and provided for their members through
a myriad of anti-social crimes. Four cases were involved in gang
murders related to fights and recruitment drives.
Hanging out, standing around on the street or in the park was
reported by many of the cases. Hanging out is a form of unstructured
gang promoting drugs, alcohol and a philosophy that excludes
working--or the slang term for working, snapping--to provide
subsistence.
Conclusions
The following conclusions were derived from this study:
(1) The major problems faced by the inmates in transition from
school to work were developed before the age of 16.
(2) The major factors relating to the inmates' anti-social behavior
had very little to do with their education.
(3) A major portion of those youth inclined toward anti-social
behavior did not want to, and would not, work.
(4) Those youth inclined toward anti-social behavior that did
desire work were successfully employed at the time of the crime.
(5) Anti-social behavior was not related to the inmates' transition
from school to work.